Levy now wants ¤145m for Bale

Daniel Levy is angry and does not want to sell Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. The Tottenham chairman considers it humiliating that 'los Blancos' are making a move for Bale just a year after they signed Modric. He has told Madrid’s board members that his club is not Real’s youth academy and that they will have to pay ¤145m (£125m) if they want to sign Bale.

It is more than just a question of money. What the Tottenham chairman wants is to make a point. He wants to take his anger out on Real Madrid by demanding a transfer fee which 'los Blancos' see as unaffordable.

The first ever three-figure transfer fee: that is what Levy wants. Neither Bale’s pleas nor Madrid’s big-money offers can make him play ball. He is angry and will not listen to reason.

So Madrid and Tottenham are left trying to agree a fee which satisfies the demands of the Spurs chairman, without it going beyond what Real Madrid considers affordable. Meanwhile, an unhappy Bale does not want to have to pull on a Tottenham shirt again.

Bale landed in London on Monday, but he does not want to spend even one more day training or playing with Villas-Boas’ team. The Spurs squad returns to training tomorrow and there it will be seen if Bale will back down or not.